WASHINGTON — An upcoming Metro shutdown could impact business owners along the Red Line around the holiday season.
Farragut North will be closed fully from Dec 18-30, while Judiciary Square closes from Dec. 22-24.
There will be no Red Line access at Metro Center from Dec. 18-30 or at Gallery Place from Dec. 22-24. All other lines can be accessed at those two stations, however.
Metro leaders say they need to fix track problems and replace a concrete beam. But some are upset by the timing. In a changing downtown impacted by the pandemic and crime, Metro closures pose another challenge for some businesses.
Wasai Chinese Cuisine and its partnering boba tea business, Gong Cha, are new to the neighborhood.
"Most of our customers come out of Gallery Place and see our restaurant, so I'm pretty nervous and skeptical about the closure being two weeks," said Zhen Zhou, Gong Cha's regional manager.
He's not alone. Gerren Price, President and CEO of the DowntownDC Business Improvement District sent a letter to Metro's Randy Clarke asking to delay the work. He said the shutdown will cost businesses up to $6 million.
But Metro tells WUSA9 they chose that period because ridership is typically down 40% since schools and offices are closed for the holiday. And the repairs can't wait.
During the shutdown, workers plan to install 40,000 feet of fiber optic cable, fix leaks, repair concrete and make critical track repairs, like installing insulators between the electrified third rail and the ground.
The work also comes at a peak time for Capital One Arena, which draws downtown's largest crowds to concerts and Caps games.
"While we wish the repair didn't need to happen, we understand these repairs to be necessary and focused on rider safety. We will remind attendees that if they are taking Metro they should budget extra time," a spokesperson for Capital One Arena told WUSA9.
Meanwhile, Zhou hopes word of mouth and his neighbors will help during the Metro lull.
"The only thing we can do is promotion. Promote the business on social media and hopefully get support from the local area," he said.
Metro says customers will still be able to access Gallery Place using free shuttle buses that run every six to eight minutes.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story incorrectly said that Meteo Center and Gallery Place would be closed. However it's just Red Line access that is impacted in December.